The James Webb Space Telescope: from first light to new planets
After more than three decades of development, construction, integration, and test, the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope was launched from French Guiana on Christmas Day 2021 and is presently undergoing commissioning in orbit around the Sun-Earth L2 point.
In this talk, Professor Mark McCaughrean will give an overview of the scientific rationale for this astonishing machine, the technological challenges that had to be overcome in realising it, and an update on the observatory status and finally, a forward look at some of the scientific breakthroughs that it promises when it enters full operation in summer this year.